Hummingbird Heartbeat
by beautyqueenforbes
Summary: It all started with a hummingbird feeder. A stupid, overpriced hummingbird feeder and one incessant yet irresistible hybrid with an accent that could stop a heart by itself. And one stubborn, perfection-oriented blonde vampire in the Christmas spirit.


Caroline Forbes clapped her left hand over her mouth, her right hand occupied by the daunting task of properly configuring the hummingbird feeder. Between her fingers, steamy white clouds of breath snaked out into the open air. Her usually impeccable blonde curls were dusted with a fine layer of fresh snow, and her teeth chattered beneath her frozen pink lips, even despite the purple scarf she had wound around her neck and part of her face. Her petite nose had reddened so much that it could've passed for a cherry.

"Ugh!" She groaned, stamping her booted foot in the virgin snow in frustration as the hummingbird feeder tumbled to the ground again. She clasped her hands together and rubbed, trying to warm up as she debated whether or not to pursue this endeavor any further.

It was Christmas in Mystic Falls, and all the telephone poles and road signs were wrapped in brightly-colored strands of Christmas lights, all thanks to her. She hadn't been head of the Beautification Committee for nothing.

She should've been home, curled up on the couch in her living room in her frumpiest pajamas with a streaming cup of hot chocolate while watching the Christmas specials with her usually cold and calloused mother, Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes. However, she was determined to see the delivery of her surprise gift through.

* * *

_Klaus led Caroline to a halt in their leisurely pace, turning to face her. She stopped as well, gazing at him curiously._

_"I never answered your question," He said, smiling faintly. "If I ever thought about being human."  
_

_Caroline waited expectantly for him to elaborate. Whatever memory he was recalling, his smile implied that it was one he was rather fond of.  
_

_"Once, I was on a trek in the Andes, and a hummingbird flew up to me," He began, seemingly lost in the mysterious world of his past for the moment. The smile was still plastered on his face. It looked like it belonged there.  
_

_"It just hovered there, staring at me," He continued. "Its tiny heart was pattering like a machine gun. And I thought, what a thing, to have to work that hard every day just to stay alive. To be constantly on the verge of death, and how satisfying every day must be that it survived."  
_

_He finally met her eyes, coming back to the present day. "And that was the only time I thought about being human."  
_

_Caroline only smiled._

* * *

That moment in which Klaus had shown just the faintest flicker of humanity had inspired Caroline to go out on a whim and buy him a Christmas present. At first, her conscious had been dead set against the action. _He's tried to kill your friends! He's a murderer! _The annoying, irrational little voice had screeched at her. However, she had combated the thought, thinking that even the most cold of men deserved to have a gift waiting for them on Christmas. A nice gift at that; a pair of socks just simply wouldn't do.

So, on that notion, Caroline had driven to the nearest home and garden store, and tirelessly rummaged through hummingbird feeder after hummingbird feeder in search of the perfect one.

_Too feminine_, she'd thought, repackaging one with dainty little flowers painted on. She'd thought the same of another one constructed of pale pink blown glass.

_Too cheap_, she'd wrinkled her nose, repulsed at the one with the forest green plastic cage surrounding what she assumed was a bowl for the nectar.

_Too flimsy_, she'd pegged one with a less than sturdy metal bar intended for hanging as she tossed it to the side.

Alas, though, she'd finally crossed paths with the perfect one.

It was similar in size and shape to a small teapot, or maybe a big Hershey's Kiss. The nectar was intended to pool inside the base, oozing out into petite openings on the sides that looked like balconies to Caroline. It was a transparent amethyst color, with a tall, multifaceted structure rising up from the center that caught the sunlight and reflected it back out in every color of the rainbow. It had been constructed by hand, too, with a sturdy, spiraled hook to use for hanging it. It had reminded Caroline of some of Klaus's paintings she'd caught a glimpse of. It was beautiful.

However, at the current moment in time, all she could regard the detestable little thing with was contempt, failing time and time again to hang it from a low-lying branch on one of the trees just outside of the Mikaelson's mansion. She'd even gone to the trouble of sneaking around back, both so that Klaus could be the only one to truly enjoy it on a daily basis, and because she didn't want to be caught.

She steeled herself again, this time taking a running start before lunging at the branch. Hope welled in the pit of her chest as the hook caught the edge of the branch, but it was quickly demolished as it only dragged a strip of bark off before crashing to the ground alongside her body.

Caroline huffed, tears bubbling up in the corners of her eyes. It was hopeless. Klaus wouldn't be surprised at all, then. She'd sat up, feeling more defeated than she had in a long time, mentally calculating how long it would take her to run back to her house, repackage the damned thing, wrap it in some pretty wrapping paper leftover from Elena's last birthday, and be waiting at his door with the gift at the ready.

_Too long. _She groaned internally, starting to stand and wipe away the snow that had dusted itself over her navy blue trench coat.

That was when a low chuckle reached her ear.

Caroline whipped around in alarm, dreading whichever of the Originals she would have to face. Rebekah? If so, there would be a snarky, offensive comment in store for her, and maybe, if she was lucky, a threat to get off her yard before she staked Caroline herself. Kol? A cocky, weak attempt at flirting. Elijah? She supposed that wouldn't be too bad, but she wasn't in the mood to be questioned about her motives. Klaus? Absolutely out of the question.

Yet, lo and behold, there stood the devil himself, looking devastatingly gorgeous in a low-riding pair of jeans and a tightly fitted sandy grey t-shirt. He hadn't shaved, as was evident by the stubble that peppered his strong jaw. His perfect lips were twisted up in a bemused smirk, and his blue eyes gleamed in the bright, early daylight. He was barefoot and held a plain white ceramic mug of what was either steaming hot chocolate or coffee. She wondered how long he'd been standing there, watching, as his sandy blonde curls were dusted with plenty of the same snowflakes that had entangled themselves in Caroline's hair.

"If it isn't Miss Mystic Falls," He teased.

"I'm not Miss Mystic Falls anymore," She replied lamely. What was it about this man that left her so tongue-tied? It must've been the accent, she decided. Accents were like beer goggles for women; no matter how unattractive the man was, the accent would always leave women stumbling into his clutches. However, as she met his eyes from across the yard, she knew deep within her heart that that wasn't the case at all. Even when he wasn't talking, she wanted nothing more than to run up to him and kiss the snowflakes off of his cheeks.

"You'll always be Miss Mystic Falls to me," He said softly, stepping off of the back porch.

Her cheeks warmed, and she knew that if she were to look in a mirror just then, her face would be the color of cranberries on Thanksgiving.

"Now, would you like to explain to me why you're in _my _backyard, hanging a hummingbird feeder?" He took a sip of his steaming drink, licking the remnants of sticky marshmallow - or maybe it was whipped cream - off of the corner of his lips.

"It's...it's not a hummingbird feeder."

"Then what is it?"

"It's..." Caroline tried to think of a half-decent excuse. Finally, she caved and admitted, "It's a hummingbird feeder. It's your...it's your Christmas gift. So, Merry Christmas."

Klaus smirked, circling her like a predator would its prey. Finally, he stopped, his eyes resting on the chipped bark of the branch she'd unsuccessfully tried to hang it on. "Why, Caroline. This is almost as impressive as my little hummingbird in the Andes." He whirled to face her, drawing closer. In a theatrical tone, he began to narrate, "Here we see the wild Caroline Forbes. Watch as she struggles with the most daunting and frightening task of her life - hanging a hummingbird feeder. Now, a wild hybrid is approaching. The wild Caroline recognizes this as a mating opportunity, and she gives off the trademark sign of recognition of this once-in-a-lifetime chance: the terribly embarrassed blush." He swiped his thumb over her burning cheek, melting a stray snowflake on her cheek.

"Klaus..." She groaned, folding her arms over his chest and doing her best to appear imposing. It only made matters worse, as Klaus elicited a sharp laugh.

"Now, the wild hybrid will display his offering to the wild Caroline," He continued. "This offering being a cup of hot chocolate with her name on it."

"Klaus, I - "

He tapped one slender finger to her lip, shaking his head. "Ah, ah, ah. I insist, my lady Forbes," He said in a scolding tone, offering his arm for her to take.

Caroline's eyes flickered between his, the beverage in his hand, and the hummingbird feeder lying on the ground beside them. "There's no way you can possibly already have a cup of anything ready for me," She said, once again proving her fantastic conversational skills. Then, something struck her. She gazed at him guardedly. "How long have you been watching me?"

"I've been awake since six this morning, if that's what you're asking."

"You stalking bastard!" She cried, picking up a wad of snow and balling it in between her fists. She chucked it at him, hard, leaving a large damp spot on his chest.

"I'm taking that as a yes?" He waggled the cup of what she could now identify as steaming hot chocolate from the scent.

"Well, after you've been watching me struggle for all this time, I guess the least you can do is get me a drink," She huffed. She linked her arm through his, tossing him a warning look. He shrugged innocently, looking as if to say, 'Who me?'

Caroline glanced back at the hummingbird feeder in dismay. "I can't just leave it out here," She grumbled, disappointed in herself.

Suddenly, without warning, Klaus had dropped to his knees, slipping beneath Caroline's slightly spread legs. She screamed, and couldn't stop herself, until he was holding her securely on his back. He gently handed the hummingbird feeder to her, slowly standing. She felt so small, staring down at the ground from a height she'd never have reached without the help of his impressive stature.

"Have at it, love," He said, and, shaking like a drowned Chihuahua, Caroline managed to maneuver the little handle over the branch, clasping it in place. She smiled brilliantly, soaking in the full effects of the pride she'd earned after accomplishing her task, despite having to resort to the assistance of someone else. He slipped the white packet of nectar into her hands, and, careful not to spill any, she dumped its contents into the feeder.

Gently, as to not frighten her, Klaus lowered her onto solid, flat ground. They stood there for a moment, together, relishing in the beauty of the newly acquired hummingbird feeder along with the company of one another.

That is, until Caroline's chattering teeth broke the silence.

Klaus grinned, wiggling his bare toes in the snow. "I'm cold, too, love," He admitted. "How about that drink then, Caroline?"

Caroline shook her head fervently, adjusting her scarf to cover her nose. "N-no," She managed through her incessant chattering. "I-I have to get h-home. My m-mom is probably w-worried about me b-by now."

Instead of allowing her to go on her way, however, Klaus grabbed a firm hold of her arm and began to drag her towards the house, all despite her cries of protest and fruitless pleas.

Once inside, Caroline visibly relaxed, despite her reluctance to admit that she was grateful for the newly found warmth. She was surprised, however, to find the mansion seemed rather empty. The kitchen, which the door they had entered through apparently led into, was lonely in its impeccable organization, despite a white ceramic mug of steaming hot chocolate that matched Klaus's own, waiting for Caroline on one of those fancy napkins that felt more like towels than actual napkins. She imagined her own kitchen, or Elena's, or Bonnie's. It would be miles away from the way this kitchen looked. All three of them would have cookie sheets spattered with globs of leftover cookie dough resting on the stove, a spatula placed nearby to scrap it off. The sinks would be full of dirty dishes, and Bonnie would've lit some vanilla-scented candles while she cooked or flipped to the back of a celebrity gossip magazine to play the 'Spot the Difference' game, or maybe, if she was in a particular mood, the crossword. (Caroline had always helped her with the Twilight-related ones.)

Klaus placed his own mug on another napkin after taking another long sip, and moved behind her to take her coat and scarf. As he stripped her of the snow-laden articles of clothing, she felt strangely more at ease. Beneath her coat and scarf, she had worn a floral dress with patches of warm tans and icy blue-greens, and a pair of black moccasins with dark leggings. She was certainly inadequately dressed for the cold weather.

Klaus eased the cup of hot chocolate toward her, and grateful for her frozen bones to be warming, Caroline took a long sip. It was as if it were the best hot chocolate she'd ever had; she gulped the entirety of it down in less than a minute, licking away a hot chocolate mustache.

As she tossed the empty mug onto the counter and Klaus refilled it, he said, "I have a Christmas gift for you, too. I was going to wait until later this evening to give it to you, but now that I have you here in person, I don't see any adequate reason to wait. Close your eyes."

Caroline's heart pounded with a mixture of delight and nerves. He'd gotten her something for Christmas? She angled her head as he disappeared into the parlor, only able to make out the back of his leg from where she stood. She wasn't sure, though, but he might've had a Christmas tree set up in there, too.

When he reappeared, she pretended she'd done as he'd asked and closed her eyes. A smooth, wrapping paper-covered box, with more in the ways of length and width, was slid into her arms. Her eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes, taking in the moment as she studied the silver, floral wrapping paper surrounding what contained her gift. Much like she had when she was a child, she held the box to her ear and shook, trying to discern what it was. Frowning, she realized she had no earthly clue, and that Klaus was smiling at her with a triumphant pride she was unable to describe with words alone.

"Open it," He instructed excitedly. Distantly, Caroline wondered if this was what Klaus had been like when he had been a child; all smiles and excitement.

Slowly, Caroline slipped a well-manicured finger beneath the taped layer of wrapping paper, careful not to mar such beautiful decoration. She folded it neatly on the table after she'd pried it away, left with a blank white box with bits of sparkly silver wax paper sticking out of the sides.

As though she were Belle about to lift the glass case surrounding the Beast's rose, she tentatively removed the lid, taking a moment to try and discern its contents. Eventually, she gave up on figuring it out based solely on sight, and she found that, buried in what was an excess of the sparkly silver-flecked wax paper, were two garments constructed of fine, delicate silk fabric.

She peeled the first out slowly, as if it were some sort of dangerous, potentially rabid wild animal. It was a robe, she found, with a single pocket sewn over the left breast. It was a very pale green shade, with a trail of oriental-style pink flowers hand-painted up the side and along a slit in the skirt. She smiled, prepared to thank him for such a beautiful, thoughtful gift, but he gestured for her to go on. Rolling her eyes, she took to the second garment, which was a deep, forest green instead. It was the most gorgeous thing she could remember having seen. A hummingbird, with a turquoise body, pink breast and white underbelly was suspended there, again hand-painted, with its long, fine beak dipped into a bright red hibiscus.

"Oh, Klaus, it's beautiful, really. I - "

He snapped his fingers, pointing to a small black, velvet box buried in the corner. "You forgot something," He informed her with a devilish smile.

If it was a morning after pill, she was going to kill him right then and there, nice gifts or not.

Tentatively, she lifted the petite box, the velvet smooth on her fingertips. She worked the clasp open with care, and the top popped up, revealing something sparkling silver in the depths of folds of navy blue satin.

"Let me do the honors," Klaus said before she could speak, and from the box rose a tiny hummingbird constructed of diamonds hanging from a white gold chain. Before she had the chance to protest that it was too much, as he knew she would, he had the charm resting in the dip of her collarbone, fumbling for only a moment with the clasp.

"What do you think?" He beamed.

"I think it's...I think it's perfect, Klaus." She threw her arms around him, never having expected her best friend's worst enemy to have given her something so beautiful. They embraced like that for several moments, Klaus playing with the curls in her long blonde tresses before he spoke again.

"Let's go back outside. It's stopped snowing, and I can't be sure, but I think there's something over there on the feeder," He said.

If it was a damned squirrel, Caroline mentally swore that she would temporarily become what everyone expected of a sheriff's daughter and take that bastard out.

Hand in hand, Klaus barefoot and Caroline without anything in the way of a coat, they trekked back outside, leaving footprints in the fresh layer of virgin snow.

Perched on the edge of the feeder was a hummingbird, and they both could've sworn it had to be a baby, with how it flailed it wings awkwardly about as it adjusted itself. Its long beak extended into the nectar and it swallowed greedily, one eye moving to study them before going back to its meal.

"They're like the vampires of the bird world," Caroline giggled, gazing up at the tiny creature in awe. She'd never seen a hummingbird before. Klaus had been right; it's tiny heart _was _beating like a machine gun.

Before Klaus could comment on the irony of her statement, another bird, more suave in its movements, came to land on the feeder as well. It took a long sip of the nectar, watching the other hummingbird with guarded eyes. Slowly, once it finished its meal, it sauntered to the baby hummingbird, and they tapped their beaks together. Caroline could've sworn it was the bird version of kissing.

"I think that's our cue," Klaus whispered in her ear, warming her already freezing earlobe with his breath. She hadn't noticed it until now, but his arm was wrapped around her shoulder.

"Our cue to what?" She began to ask, but Klaus quickly silenced her.

His mouth descended on hers, warm and tasting of whip cream, chocolate and marshmallows. For several moments, Caroline stood in shock as he urged her to react, until finally, she tentatively began to move her mouth with his. The passion in her kiss increased with every tap of their lips, and soon, Caroline had thrown her arms around his neck, entwined her fingers in his hair, and was kissing back with no holds barred.

"Merry Christmas, Klaus," She gasped, as the hummingbirds took off together.

"Merry Christmas, Caroline," Klaus replied, snow beginning to sprinkle down upon them again.

Then their mouths met again, warm and heady and overwhelming with every touch, their romance blooming in a way as the flowers the hummingbirds favored so much, and unique as a snowflake.

Just like it should be.

And always would.

* * *

**A/N: I know, I know. I should be updating _He Will Not Be Denied_. But ever since the episode from the night before last, 4x07 ("My Brother's Keeper), I've had this idea stuck in my head! Don't worry though, my lovelies. I will be updating _He Will Not Be Denied_ this weekend, maybe even tonight! Anyways, I really hope you enjoyed this! Please review - reviews keep my creative blood flowing! Which means more writing for you to look forward to! Tell me what you think, honestly. I also really wanted to do something Christmas-themed for Klaroline, too. Also, brownie points to whoever can catch the _Big Bang Theory _reference I tossed in there! I love you all! - xoxo Gianna**


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